NOSTALGIA: Protest after nerve gas rumpus

This photo shows protestors gathered at Lakenheath airbase in January 1982, showing their opposition to the use of chemical and nuclear weapons.

The RAF had been accused of deliberately evading the issue following the cancellation of a meeting to discuss the issue.

Chairman of the Eastern Region Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Mr Roger Spiller, was due for a meeting with the commander of the USAF base at Bentwaters but it was called off by the RAF.

Mr Spiller told the Bury Free Press: “The original agreement with the commanding officer to see me came as a pleasant surprise, however, it was an unpleasant surprise when the RAF, not the USAf cancelled this meeting.”

HEADLINES FROM THE PAST

10 YEARS AGO

Daffodils were blooming in Bury St Edmunds with the launch of Marie Curie Cancer Care’s annual appeal. The Great Daffodil Appeal saw collections in the streets and outside supermarkets, as well as the sale of boxes of mini daffodils.

Daffodils and leaflets were also available at the estate agent’s office in Guildhall Street.

The campaign saw Marshall Buck and Casson estate agents offer to donate £10 for every property they valued and £50 for every one sold.

Laurie Marshall, one of the joint owners said: It’s a fantastic charity and is very well known. Everybody’s been touched by cancer and to be able to make it possible to have home nursing at the end is a phenomenally wonderful thing.”

25 YEARS AGO

Youngsters from throughout the Mildenhall area enjoyed bandaging each other, watching the Army on display and learning about the Fire Service in a week of events put on at the Dome sports Centre.

The children, aged between five and eleven, packed into the centre to try out its new look activities for youngsters in the half term holidays.

This time there were structured events including a variety of sports, videos and visits from the emergency services.

Julie Green, secretary said: “The response has been fantastic with about 40 children coming to each session.”

The following day the Army brought in its big guns, literally, with a large gun carriage on display.

100 YEARS AGO

Field Marshall Haig again reports further progress north of the Ancre, some 600 yards of German trenches on the Beaucourt-Puisieux road being occupied “without difficulty,” while south of Serre Hill a German attack on our new positions was easily repulsed with our guns. Furthermore, during Sunday night we raided the enemy’s lines at a number of places. In one of these near Armantieres, we blew up an ammunition dump.

Berlin reports British attacks from Serre to the Ancre, in which the British are alleged to have suffered severely, but an admission is made that a trench line in Serre was evacuated before the beginning of the British attack.